Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
The Florida Manatee

The Florida manatee, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, is Florida’s official marine mammal. Scientists estimate there are about 3,500 of these harmless, fascinating mammals living in Florida’s waterways.

Manatees Are Protected by State and Federal Laws

The U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act protect Florida’s manatees.

It is illegal to harass, hunt, capture or kill any marine mammal, including manatees. Anything that disrupts a manatee’s normal behavior is a violation, punishable under Federal law by up to a $50,000 fine, one-year imprisonment or both.

If you see an injured, dead, orphaned or tagged manatee, or one that is being harassed, report this to the FWC Marine Enforcement Unit on VHF Channel 16 or by mobile phone at #FWC. A law enforcement officer will assist with the rescue or recovery and provide the appropriate follow-through.

If you accidentally injure a manatee, immediately stop your vessel and locate where you are on the LORAN/GPS or by locating directional markers. Contact the FWC on VHF Channel 16 or dial #FWC on a mobile phone. If you can locate the animal again, stay nearby and report its location and direction of travel. Try to determine the number of times the manatee surfaces to breathe during a five minute period. The more information you provide, the better the chance there is that the manatee can be rescued, rehabilitated and returned to the population to reproduce again.

Help the manatee make a comeback in Florida!

Boaters should avoid manatee habitat areas and use caution when traveling in known manatee travel corridors. If you must travel in these areas, follow these guidelines:

• Observe all manatee regulatory zones and caution areas. In areas that are not posted, slow down to a safe speed.
• Stay in the designated channels. Manatees have shown signs that they are avoiding heavy vessel traffic areas. Channel depth reduces the chance of pinning or crushing manatees.
• Use caution when you are around areas of prime manatee habitat. The habitat areas include seagrass beds and areas where hydrilla and water hyacinths are present. Use idle speed, pole or paddle when near these areas.
• Wear polarized sunglasses to reduce the glare on the water and help you see manatees and seagrass beds.
• If you fish, do not discard fishing lines, hooks or nets in the water. Manatees have been injured and killed from getting tangled in line trapped in the plants where they feed.
• If you dive or swim near manatees, look but do not touch them. Taking photographs is permissible, but do not chase manatees in order to get a picture. Remember to respect their habitat and be a passive observer. Manatees at warm water sites are there to stay warm and conserve energy—do not disturb them at these sites.
• Scan the water near or in front of your vessel for any water patterns that indicate manatees are nearby. Look for swirls that look like a huge footprint, a repetitive line of half moon swirls, a mud trail or any breaking of the surface by a snout or a tail. If you see any of these water patterns or see a manatee, give the manatee the right of way and stay at least 50 feet away. The manatee may not be traveling alone—it may have a calf or be traveling with other manatees.

Seagrass Loss Impacts Endangered Species

Seagrasses are the principal food for endangered marine herbivores such as manatees and green sea turtles; loss of this habitat is recognized as a significant threat to the continued survival of these and other species.

• Avoid running through grass beds with your vessel.
• Keep track of the tides. Even at high tide some beds are vulnerable.
• Look for buoys. Buoys mark the edges of some grass beds.
• Read navigation charts. Seagrass is shown as light green or marked as “Grs.”
• Read the water. A bed may appear as a large dark area underwater.
• Stay in the channel. If unfamiliar with a waterway, operate your vessel in the marked channel. Avoid taking shortcuts through seagrass beds, which may cause prop scars.

Seagrass Facts ...

• An estimated 700,000 acres of seagrass persist in waters along the east coast of Florida from the middle of the Mosquito Lagoon to lower Biscayne Bay.
• Over 2 million acres of seagrass survive in the waters of the west coast of the state.
• An estimated 1 million acres of deep water seagrass, mainly paddle grass, may also make up a seasonal contribution to Florida’s seagrass communities.
• Seagrasses need a lot of sunlight to grow, so good water quality is essential to their survival.
• Seagrasses found in Florida: manatee grass, star grass, paddle grass, Johnson’s seagrass, widgeon grass, turtle grass and shoal grass.

Learn more ...

For more information about manatees and seagrasses:

Write or call the:

Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission
620 South Meridian Street, 6-A
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600
850-922-4330

Or visit the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission website.

Airboats

Although not a traditional vessel, airboats are popular in the United States and especially in Florida. Airboats operate on wind thrust produced by a propeller attached to a vertical mounted engine. Airboats operate on regular gasoline, aviation gas or diesel, depending on choice of engine. Airboats can access geographic areas usually not accessible to most vessels.

Special Considerations

An airboat’s essentially flat bottom and characteristic high center of gravity make it more susceptible to capsizing than conventional watercraft. Airboats were traditionally designed for and operate extremely well in shallow water and marshlands. However, an airboat’s operation in deep water requires special consideration by both the airboat operator and other boaters sharing the waterway. Airboats are incapable of going in reverse and do not have brakes. An airboat’s forward momentum is slowed only by deceleration and the friction and displacement of the water on which the airboat is traveling.

Steering

Airboats steer unlike most other watercraft. They are best steered and controlled through acceleration. Without forced air passing by the airboat’s rudders, the airboat is incapable of being controlled.

An airboat is propelled by air pushed through the vessel’s aircraft-like propeller. Either an aircraft or automobile engine adapted for airboat use may power the propeller. The air pushed rearward by the airboat’s propeller creates a forced column of air that passes by the vessel’s rudders at the rear of the boat, permitting steering. It is that forced column of air that is of concern not only to the airboat operator, but also to other boaters and bystanders.

Courtesy

The airboat operator must always be aware of the “prop-wash” created by his/her airboat. The forced column of air (prop-wash) created by an airboat is capable of throwing water spray, sand, dirt and small rocks onto bystanders and anglers, and is even capable of capsizing other small vessels. Also, an airboat’s propeller, spinning at over 600 mph, creates noise levels that many outdoorsmen and waterway residents find objectionable. The airboat operator must exercise courtesy and consideration for other boaters, anglers, beachgoers and waterway residents at all times.

Airboat Sound

The sound levels generated by airboats have become a growing concern around Florida, and there are several things airboat operators can do to ensure a long life for their sport. Mufflers are required by law on the engine’s exhaust, and airboat owners should try to find the quietest muffler for their particular engine and boat configuration. It’s important to recognize that mufflers alone are not the entire solution to the airboat sound problem. Simple operational habits need to be changed, like accelerating slowly to planing speed, minimizing weight in the airboat, idling a good distance away from people and residences before accelerating, and simply operating at a minimum planing speed whenever possible. These efforts will go a long way toward keeping airboat sound levels at a minimum.

Airboat Flags

Airboats often operate in areas of high vegetation, and visibility may become a safety risk. As of October 1, 2006, airboats are required to display a flag, at least 10” by 12” in size and international orange in color, at a height of at least 10 feet above the bottom of the vessel. The flag must be displayed in a manner where the visibility of the flag is not obscured in any direction.

Operation Areas

There may be some areas of the state where airboats are prohibited from operation. Before operating your airboat in an area, it is a good idea to check with the local FWC office to find out about any ordinances pertaining to airboats.

Airboat Registration Numbers and Decals

The numbers assigned to your airboat should be placed on each side of the forward half of the vessel in such position as to provide clear legibility for identification, or airboat numbers can be placed on each side of the rudder. The numbers awarded to the vessel shall read from left to right and shall be in block characters of good proportion not less than 3 inches in height. The numbers shall be of solid color which will contrast with color of the background and shall be so maintained as to be clearly visible and legible; i.e. dark numbers on a light background or light numbers on dark background. The decal issued to an airboat shall be displayed by affixing it to the port side of the vessel within 6 inches before or after the registration number. If you have any questions on airboat operation or safety, please.

Airboater’s Code of Ethics from The Florida Airboat Association

1. Respect the right of everyone to enjoy Florida’s waterways.
2. Learn and observe all State of Florida boating regulations, navigation rules, and vessel safety equipment requirements.
3. Recognize that the noise generated from an airboat propeller and engine exhaust system may annoy others.
4. Equip the airboat with an automotive-style muffler and operate it in a manner that will reduce engine exhaust sound levels.
5. Operate at a slow speed on or near boat ramps and move away an adequate distance before powering up, and where possible no power loading.
6. Use slow speed to reduce noise near residential and public use areas.
7. Be extra cautious to reduce sound levels during nighttime hours.
8. Understand that the public will judge by one individual’s action all airboaters.
9. Protect natural resources and do not needlessly disturb wildlife.

Resource Violations

If you suspect a resource violation, or have information leading to a Boating Under the Influence (BUI) arrest, report it to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Reward Program by calling toll-free 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).

The telephones are answered 24-hours a day, seven days a week. You may remain anonymous and will not be required to testify in court.

If your information results in an arrest, you will be eligible for a reward usually ranging from $50 to $1,000, based on the severity of the case. It is important to report violations as soon as possible and provide as much detail as you can about the physical descriptions of violators, vehicles, license tag numbers, etc. Examples of frequently reported violations include illegal hunting, killing or capturing of protected species and fishing by illegal methods, and BUI.

To report a suspected violation, call toll-free 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). You may also call the nearest FWC regional office using the local numbers.

Cellular phone customers throughout most of the state can make a free call by dialing *FWC or #FWC depending on service carrier.